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In a previous post (Windows 2012 Server Essentials Anywhere Access – Part 1) I outlined how to setup Anywhere Access to allow your users to securely access their files, and even desktops, from outside the office. In this post, I will step you through how to connect using the Anywhere Access feature included in Windows 2012 Server Essentials. The images in this post are from a clients system; Windows 2012 Server Essentials.

To use Remote Web Access, open Internet Explorer (using other browsers is not recommended).

You will now be connected to Windows Server 2012 Essentials server in the office.

Users can easily see items they have access too, including their desktops if the functionality is provided.

Shared Folders

Users have the same access to the same files and folders as they would in the office. They can download, modify and upload the files. (Watch for an upcoming post that takes this functionality to a new level in the new product release.)

When the user clicks on Shared Folders, a list of all folders is presented.

Expand the folders on the left to drill down into the file structure.

Here, users can easily upload and download files and create new folders.

Computers

The greatest advantage to Remote Web Access is the ability for your users to access their desktops as if they were sitting in front of it. The quality and response time is much faster than other remote control programs.

To access the systems in the office the users pick the system from the list on the right. Click the Connect button. Clicking the Computers link will present a list of all the computers the user can access.

Doing so will also give you access to all the systems you can remote into based on your credentials.

Once you have clicked the Connect button you will be presented with the following dialog box:

Click Connect again.

You will be required to enter your credentials again.

Click on the Use another account link if the incorrect username is already provided.

You will now be connected to your desktop.

To exit click the X on the menu bar at the top of the screen.

This will close the Remote Desktop Session and take you back to the Remote Web Access Screen.

Exiting Remote Web Access

Please be sure to exit out of Remote Web Access by clicking the Sign Out link to the top left of the window.

That’s it! You can now securely access your files and desktop from anywhere. Who needs an office?

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This and the following post are going to be focused on the Anywhere Access feature included in Windows 2012 Server Essentials.

As most you know, I love this product. It’s my go-to solution for my clients who require a server that is easy to manage and is user-friendly. 2012 Essentials fits the bill perfectly. It’s designed for small businesses with up to 25 users. This post will focus on Anywhere Access, aka: working in your jammies. (I’m all about the jammies).

Anywhere Access allows users to connect to the server, and even to their desktop, from outside the office using a web-friendly interface. This how-to will step you through configuring Anywhere Access and how it looks to the users.

After Windows 2012 Server Essentials is installed, launch the Dashboard, if it isn’t already launched.

You now have the option to have the program setup your router, or you can do it manually. Personally, I prefer the manual method, maybe I’m just old school.

You will now be presented with a Getting Started window. Click Next.

If you have a domain name, you can use it or you can create a new one. This name becomes the url for the users to access the server via a webpage.

For the purpose of this how to, I will create a new domain name.

Since I don’t want to pay for a name, I’ll get a personalized domain name from Microsoft.

Enter your credentials or create a new Microsoft account.

In my case I have already registered a name, but I want to create a new domain name for this post.

Enter in the domain name you wish and then check availability. Luckily, sharonbennett@remotewebaccess.com is available (what are the oods?). Then click setup. Your domain name is now setup on your server. Please note, it could take a few minutes before you can access Anywhere Access.

We can now choose how we want our users to connect. We can enable VPN or Remote Web Access. We are going to select Remote Web Access. The next option allows us to turn on Anywhere Access for our current users and any newly created users.

The program will then setup the users, configure the firewall and any other settings that are required for Remote Web Access.

The next screen will come up green if Anywhere Access is able to connect to the Internet. In our case it cannot, since we chose to setup the router manually. I’ll skip the listed issues and configure my router manually, then test again.

To verify Anywhere Access has been configured, I view a user account and verify the account has Anywhere Access enabled.

You will also notice that I can uncheck the options I do not want the user to have access to.

And there you have it. In my experience, the biggest hiccup is setting up the router. Remember, your router is your first line of defence against intruders and it’s important that it is setup correctly. Please consult with your local IT pro if you are having any issues. Anywhere Access The Jammies Part 2 (Anywhere Access – The Jammie Part) outlines how to connect from outside the office.

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A little bit about Sharon Bennett

I have been in the IT industry for 23 years now. I remember the early days of DOS and the launch of Windows 3.1. The Internet was not available to the general public at that time. We used Archie and Veronica to "surf" (if you can call text-based internet surfing).
After all these years and changes one thing has always stood out: most people knew technology could help them but didn't know how to implement it.
My passion is teaching others on the technologies that can not only help their companies but their careers.